Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-09-02
Col. Monsur's speech at Chester.

Col. ManSur's speech at Chester.
From the Rutland Herald we
learn that the reunion of Windsor
county veterans was a happy and
profitable occasion. About $50 old
soldiers attended and there would
have been nearly twice as many
more if the heavy and continuing
rain had not deferred nearly all from
points north of Woodstock and
Hartford from coming. There was
also a considerable gathering of peo-
pie from neighboring towns,and the
people of Chester turned out well,
so that during the speaking there
was an audience of some 5000.
Col. Mansur, the principal speaker
of the occasion, was introduced by
ex-Gov. Proctor as zone who had
left his good right arm at WiEches-
tor, but whose head and heart, thank
God, was in Vermont. Dir. Mansur
was received with great applause
He spoke in an easy and at times
eloquent manner. FIRST he brief
ly reviewed the causes Of the
war, because, while the old
soldiers understood them, a new
generation has arisen whom it will
not hurt to hear them recounted by
the men who met the issue. Slavery
was the sin of the nation and its ag-
gressions invited its ruin. The war
came to the North unexpectedly
and there was no preparation, but
everywhere the people arose to the
great necessity and shortly formed
the most magnificent armies that the
world ever saw. The speaker drew
an eloquent picture of the uprising
and the sacrifices, and when he told
OF the fortitude of the mothers, OF
the constant and lonely battle that
they had to fight, and of the heart
breaking sorrows that came TO many
of them, there were but few dry
eyes in the assemblage. He dwell
for a moment on the possible con
dition of things had not the dis
unionists been met and overcome
and drew the easy conclusion that
the triumph was worth all it cost
The country has made mighty
strides since the war-a progress un
equalled in the history of the world
having nearly doubled in popula
ton and more than quadrupled il
wealth, and it now affords more per
sonal liberty, more universal educa
ton, more happy homes and bright
err prospects for future generations
than any country ever did before
Even its former enemies now re
| joice in all this and all the rest of tn,
world looks on in wonder. Those
who enjoy all this happiness should
never forget that it is due to tn
men who stood before him, and t,
their fellow comrades and to other
like them all over the loyal North
No one can ever adequately portra,
the hardships they endured and, tn
perils that they faced. Here tn
: speaker said that he was last sprin,
powerfully impressed anew with al
this as he visited some of the battle
{ fields in Virginia and especially tn
"bloody angle" at Spottsylvanis
where the men were mown down i
E windrows and even the trees wer
cut in two with bullets. AIthoug
f the war cost enormously in bloc
and treasure,it has been the policy {
y the victors to deal generously wit
the vanquished and help them to re
! tore the waste places. We can all 70
give their error, but we are not ca
led upon to condone their treason
Some say let us obliterate all til
evidences of fratricidal strife. b.
/ let us do no such thing. WouI
IS you "obliterate" your veteran wi
n has come here on one leg? Wou
@ you "obliterate" the soldiers mon
d ment with its long roll of honorab
It names !? Would you obliterate FIRE
n dom and unity and all the church,
n and school houses and factories tn
Is have been built in the South as
d result of this advanced civilization
IS And would you return to them Il
0, flags of their treason, the emblem
lie of their monstrous error, even thous
le they were upheld by valor? TTr
re mcndous applause and cries Of an